Ko Itakura

Ko Itakura (板倉 滉) is a Japanese footballer who plays as centre-back or defensive midfielder for Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach and the Japan national team.

Club career
Born in Yokohama, Itakura joined J1 League club Kawasaki Frontale in 2015, with which he won the 2017 Japanese championship.

He was loaned to Vegalta Sendai in 2018.

In January 2019, he joined Premier League club Manchester City and was immediately loaned to Eredivisie club Groningen, until the summer of 2020. On 24 July 2020, his stay with Groningen was extended with one more year after both clubs agreed.

On 19 August 2021, Itakura signed a season-long loan deal with 2. Bundesliga club Schalke 04 with an option to make the move permanent for £5 million. At the end of the season, he was promoted to the Bundesliga with Schalke, but the club did not activate the option due to financial reasons.

On 2 July 2022, he returned to Germany and signed permanently with Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach for a €5 million transfer fee.

On August 19 2023, he scored his first goal in the Bundesliga against Augsburg, and on September 2, he scored a goal against Bayern Munich, which had the most wins and were the champions of the previous year. On September 8th, he was selected as the team's MVP for August.

International career
In May 2017, Itakura was called up to the Japan U-20 national team for the 2017 U-20 World Cup. At this tournament, he played 2 matches as defensive midfielder.

He was selected for the senior Japan national football team for 2019 Copa América and made his debut on 20 June 2019 in the game against Uruguay, as a starter.

On March 29, 2021, he scored two goals against the Argentina national under-24 football team, and was also selected to represent Japan at the Tokyo Olympics, finishing in 4th place.

In November 2022, he was selected for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Japan National team for the first time. Participated in all group stage matches and became the first Asian team to win first place in an overseas World Cup group league, contributing to advance to the final tournament for two consecutive tournaments. His long ball was the starting point of the come-from-behind goal against Germany. He was also named in the first group stage best eleven by Spain's 'Marca' and Italy's version of 'Sky Sports'. The former named him one of the players to double his value in the World Cup and described him as "the most consistent performance of the entire tournament".

On March 28, 2023, he served as captain for the first time in the second match of the second term of Moriyasu Japan against Colombia.

International
Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first.

Honours
Kawasaki Frontale
 * J1 League: 2017

Vegalta Sendai
 * Emperor's Cup: 2018

Schalke 04
 * 2. Bundesliga: 2021–22

Individual
 * TAG Heuer YOUNG GUNS AWARD: 2018
 * Groningen Player of the Year: 2020/21
 * Borussia's Player of the Month: August 2023
 * Japan Pro-Footballers Association Best XI: 2022, 2023